Use/Reason for a Pulley / Block on top boom?

summetj

summetj

New Member
Recently purchased a 1977 sunfish and when sailing it for the first time I found a block/pulley tied to the upper boom (See photos for closeup & location below...)
Just wondering if anybody could suggest how it would be used? Unless somebody has a good reason for it to be there I plan to cut it off....
Note that this is the TOP boom, and not one of the main sheet pulleys on the bottom boom....
random-pully-on-top-boom.jpg
sail-dropped.jpg


Thanks for any ideas,
Jay
 
I think you can safely remove it. Not sure what the purpose was except maybe in raising the sail?
 
danpal said:
I think you can safely remove it. Not sure what the purpose was except maybe in raising the sail?
Click to expand...
Yah, it's just tied to the boom with a loop that can slide, so I can't see how it would be used to move the boom around or lift it well at all.... (I just tied a hankster 2 when raising the boom/sail....)

It was a real head scratcher for me, but I figured with the age of the hull/boat it might be something from before my time...possibly used to lift it for storage or something....
 
summetj said:
Yah, it's just tied to the boom with a loop that can slide, so I can't see how it would be used to move the boom around or lift it well at all.... (I just tied a hankster 2 when raising the boom/sail....)

It was a real head scratcher for me, but I figured with the age of the hull/boat it might be something from before my time...possibly used to lift it for storage or something....
Click to expand...
Start with a clove hitch near the mast's top, run the halyard through that "errant" upper block, then through the normal mast cap/block, and a youngster—or a challenged—sailor will have 'way less trouble getting the sail off the deck. (My guess, FWIW). :rolleyes:
 
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